Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1887-02-19
THE BALANCE OF POWER.

j
hearth OF an open fireplace sat an
old nan, musing on the past, and
watching the tongues OF flame as they
reduced the maple sticks TO burning
Goals; and as he gazed upon them he
sang, in cracked tones, q stanza OF a
hymn which was one ofhis favorites:-
Father! thank thee, may no thoughts
Fer deem thy chastisements severe,
And may this he art by folly cLught,
Calm each wild wish, each frantic fear.
In his youth, he had led the choir,
In the village cnurcn-uI.1 - h;s ACE.
he still liked to hear the sound OF his
voice, attuned to praising the Lord.
As he sang he thought of those who
had gone before him to join the invisi-
Bile choir that sings the praises OF the
Lamb amid the throng of the blessed
which he hoped so soon to join, for
death had lost all it's sting for him,
and he awaited its summons with the
peaceful happiness with only belongs
to the evening of a well-spent life.
Mr.. Harrison had lost his wife eight
years before; his only daughter was
comfortably settled in a home OF her
own, but his only son had brought
his family to the old homestead and
had arranged with his father to carry
on the farm "to halves" the old man
retaining the management, ostensl bly,,
and doing what work he pleased. He
had kept the old nursery for his bed
room and shared the sitting-room
and dining-room with his sons family.
But as age crept over him he had
found the quiet of his own room more
agreeable to him, and he was accus-
toned to sit there during the long win
ter evenings and read the daily news
paper, while his son would often join
him to discuss the business OF the farm
and to talk upon the politics OF the
day, for Mr.. Harrison's mind still re-
tained its vigor. And as he sat and
mused and hummed the tunes he used
to delight in singing, Thomas, his son,
opened the door and the old man said:
Come in, Tom. Come right in I'm
| thinking of the old times when you
were q baby, and mother sat here
and she and I sang together the old
| tunes we learned at slnglng-school,
where we fell in love with each other.
Oh, how happy we were! OF course,
we had our crosses TO bear-shouldn' {
| been human If we hadn't. 'Taint the
| lot OF mortals TO enjoy all sunshine,
| or bear all storms. And was set IN
| nv way. | know that wouldn't
| give in easy. Suthin' OF the bulldog
about ME, and you. too, for that
matter. We've both of us got the
square jaw that tells of the have
your own-wsy felix's haven't We,
l Tom?
"But she was as likely a woman as
ever got my eyes on,-pretty as
picter and smart as chain light
ningl Yet when she began to dispute
she wouldn't hold out long and al
lers let me have the last word, sc
there we're not long quarrelling'
'twixt us. Then / alters felt shamet
when I thought about it, as l plow
ed or moved or reaped or drov'
the oxen, and when | went tC
the village I'd bring her suthin' -
praps a new dress or a ribbin, if moth
ing else a quarter pound of candy
Winmem folks like sweet things, yoV
know, Tom, and they would alters d.
the business for me and she'd give m
q kiss in return, and SO it was a.
honey.pie with us again. And Pv
been thinking and thinking about he
this New years eve. Sixty-two year
ago l married her-and yet she come
to me tonight as young and fresl
and blooming as on that happy day
| And forget the years that have past
my heart forgets all its aches and ails
and 1 dream that we ore young togett
er, and when you opened the doc
was talking with her, didn't yo
hear me? Doyou think I'm losing m
senses that say these things, Tom
| Not a Bit Noe Bit tell you il you
live to be SO years old you will hv
| in the past more than in the present
1 am old,-dropping down like a ser
and yellow leaf-soon to be trodde
under foot"
i And the old man sighed heavily, a
at the awakening from pleasan
dream to sad reality.
| Eyes, father, yes!" said Tom; '.yo
are growing old and feeble, and Mar
and have been thinking that yo
! ought not to do any more work, bI
: just sit beside the fireplace, and Ii
US take care OF you"
"Well, well," said the old man te
tily II don't know about that. ~
got some muscle left-ain't quite ant
auated vet, like old Scott, who is 8:
| / guess there's some work left in N
old bones still. What are you amir
at, Tom? Out with it! I'm ale
downright and to the point. Yc
know don't beat round the bush "
"Well, father, we thought" sa
| Tom, "Mary and THAT perhal
you'd deed Us the farm and its q
purtenances, and let us promise
take care of you while you live"
D "I don't know about that" sa
Mr.. Harrison. "Pve hearn tell ofsu'
e bargains where they fairly druve &
: old man to the grave, or wus ths
e that the poor-house. L don't kno
' about that, Tom. What the matt
with Mary and you? Hain't You g
e enough to live on now, to be able
: wait till my death for the rest? lalle
!. calkilated to give you the farm, al
. Maria my bank stock and coupe
y bonds, and that's giving you dout
| portion, too, which boys alters got
| nv day. Now where does the sh
2 pinch you and Mary"
e "Why father, it don't pinch, sa
o Tom, "only you know we have g
several children and others may con
d and John your namesake. must go
; school this next year. 1t won't